When adults and children need frequent medical treatment they may have a designated area specified for medical treatment. A medical access area may be for but is not limited to access to a central line for administration of medical treatment, access to an ostomy, access to an irradiation portal, access to an operative site for treatment and inspection, and access to wires, such as diagnostic wires, that transverse the skin. These medical access areas may be located upon a patient in a position which compromises the patient""s comfort and dignity. Therefore, there exists a need for apparel to be designed with openings designed to be located over a medical access area for any percutaneous or transcutaneous diagnostic or therapeutic procedures but maintains the patient""s dignity and comfort.
When adults and children need frequent medical treatment intravenous medicines, blood products and blood draws, it becomes more difficult as time progresses to find a usable vein. To improve medical care and reduce pain a xe2x80x9ccentral venous access linexe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9ccentral linexe2x80x9d is placed in the patient. Central lines are a relatively new concept and has been used for only the past few decades. Recently central lines have become commonly used and popular in hospitals.
A central line is typically placed in the upper chest, abdomen or groin. The central line is a permanent intravenous tube or catheter which can stay in place as long as it is needed. There are two main types of central lines. One type is entirely under the skin (an xe2x80x9cinternaxe2x80x9d line and the other has tubing outside the skin (an xe2x80x9cexternalxe2x80x9d line). Both have a long thin tube that reaches the large vein that goes to the heart.
Internal central lines cannot be seen once they are under the skin. An example of this type of central line is the PORT-A-CATH (copyright) and PORT-A-CATH II. A further example would be a urinary catheter. The internal line is placed in the chest by a surgeon in the operating room while the patient is under general anesthesia. In order to use the internal line, a needle is put through the patient""s skin, causing some pain, and into a reservoir. External central lines have tubing outside the skin. In order to use the external line, a needle is placed through the end of the tubing, without causing pain to the patient, and into a reservoir.
Medical treatment programs employing central lines at a medical access areas can last up to several years. The patient must transfer a portion of his or her personal power to the medical professionals when undergoing such care. Therefore, it is a primary objective of the present invention to produce a garment which provides access to the medical access area without compromising the patient""s personal power.
Treatment facilities are typically filled with patients in close proximity to one another. Often there is no wall or curtain available to provide privacy. Medical professionals may aspire to provide privacy in these situations yet much improvement is warranted. Therefore, a further objective of the present invention is to provide a garment which may aid the medical professional in providing privacy to the individual receiving treatment.
Specialty institutional garments could improve the privacy situation. However, laundering within the treatment facilities typically has limited sorting procedures to control the return of specialty garments to the needed treatment locations, thus surrendering the specialty garments intended usefulness. Therefore, it is a still further objective of the present invention to provide the patient with a personal garment that may be used both upon the xe2x80x9cstreetxe2x80x9d and within the treatment location.
Ready-made garments are typically pulled up and away exposing large areas of skin and also the medical access area. When the garments are pulled up and away, they are often bunched-up in uncomfortable positions. With treatment through the medical access area that can last several hours, the patient may be physically uncomfortable, emotionally uncomfortable, and desire to move about freely. Indeed, many treatment centers promote physical movement during treatment to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Therefore, a still further objective of the present invention is to provide a garment which does not require bunching up clothing in uncomfortable positions and allows the patient to move about freely while receiving medical treatment through a medical access area.
In the prior art, there are garments that may allow access to the upper chest or lower chest; however, these are unsuitable because they expose a larger area of the body than necessary to expose a medical access area and are unsuitably worn as xe2x80x9cstreet clothes.xe2x80x9d The multi-purpose gown issued to Shah et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,440,763 involves a hospital garment for access to the chest region, completely exposing the breast. U.S. Pat. No. 302,901 issued to Fenne is a garment for the bed ridden and the flaps are arranged to take measurements of the patient""s heart and respiratory functions. The ""901 patent primarily discloses a garment for use in an invalid who cannot function without the aid of others. Therefore, a still further objective of the present invention is to provide a garment which only exposes an area about the medical access area and allows the patient to incorporate treatment into their daily routines without dressing concerns.
In the prior art, there are also garments that allow access to a central line. U.S. Pat. No. 6,477,710 B1 issued to Ojoyeyi discloses a garment for concealing a medical appliance behind pocket structures of children""s clothing. Therefore, a still further objective of the present invention is to provide a garment which conceals a central line and the medical access area behind flap structures of either children""s clothing or adult clothing.
These and other more detailed and specific objectives of the present invention will be better understood by reference to the following figures and detailed description of the preferred embodiment which illustrate by way of example but a few of the various forms of the invention within the scope of the claims.
The medical dignity garments of the present invention are manufactured to facilitate easy on and off of the natural appendages. The present invention garments are designed to support a healthy, life-giving image for people and provide modesty to the level desired personally and culturally. Patients using this invention while undergoing medical treatment through a medical access area can re-establish their desired level of modesty during medical treatment and wear stylish clothes that support a healthy, life-giving image.
Medical dignity garments are designed with openings that allow caregivers and medical professionals access to the medical access areas with no physical or emotional discomfort to the patient. The typical location sites on the body for the variety of medical access areas are located on the upper chest above the breast, in the abdomen below the breast, and about the groin area. The present invention removes the discomforts and hazards associated with wearing ready-made garments. In the present invention, there are access locations in either an individual side of the garment or on both sides of the garment located about the typical location sites of the medical access area.
The present invention also provides for garments to be fitted with pockets. These pockets would be filled with treatment devices such as pumps or tubing for those patients whose life requires continuous treatment through the medical access area.
Through the access openings in the present invention, the caregivers and medical personnel expose the minimum skin required for cleaning and treatment. With the present invention, the modesty and dignity of the patient is not jeopardized. Furthermore, the patient is not emotionally traumatized. The medical dignity garment allows the patient""s dignity to be maintained at the highest level possible. Using the present invention, patients can move about their daily routine with their medical access areas and treatment devices being concealed.
In the present invention, access openings are designed with patient comfort in mind. Ready-made garments typically need to be pulled up and away exposing large areas of skin and bunched up in uncomfortable positions. Using the medical dignity garment, treatment may be administered to a patient by simply removing a flap over the medical access area, treatment administered, and the flap again closed over with a fastener. With this procedure, the patient is then fully dressed and can move about freely as is often recommended by the medical staff.
The medical dignity garments are designed with styles compatible to the ready-made industry. Having ready-made garments supports a healthy, life-giving self-image. The medical dignity garments emphasize their similarities with the popular culture as opposed to the isolation associated with being an individual battling a life-threatening disease.
The present invention also facilitates easy on and off of the natural appendages, such as arms and legs, as the patient is receiving treatment. The medical dignity garments also allow the patients to include treatment in their daily routine without worrying how their ready-made clothing may discomfort their treatment. In summary, the present invention allows for an individual to seek medical treatment without changing their clothes.